Speaking at an OBC conclave of the Congress in Delhi on June 11, party president Rahul Gandhi said Coca-Cola was founded by a person who once sold shikanji (lemonade). Kanojia has been selling shikanji for over 25 years
What goes into a shikanji stall?
We need raw materials like lemons, mint leaves, banta (soda), masala, ice. We wake up at 4 am to go buy the lemons and mint leaves. Our fixed vendors deliver the banta and ice. For masala, we go to grocers in Sarai Kale Khan. It’s an investment of about Rs 200 a day.
How many customers do you get in a day?
On days like the book fair (held nearby), 70 to 80. But on regular days, we get around 25 customers. One glass is for Rs 20, the smaller one for Rs 10… Sometimes, the municipal corporation removes our stalls. They take our things and fine us Rs 7,000.
How is shikanji different from soft drinks?
Shikanji mostly has natural ingredients. It is a good digestive. Soft drinks have artificial materials, nobody really knows what.
But would selling soft drinks be more lucrative?
No. You would have seen that if there is a stall of soft drinks, they also sell other items, like chips, cigarettes, chewing gum etc. Soft drinks alone can’t reap much profit… This is what we have been doing all our lives. We don’t earn much but we are content.
Do you know what Rahul Gandhi said, and how easy is it to grow into a Coca-Cola brand?
Yes, we heard what he said. But then a lot of people say a lot of things.